HomeMy WebLinkAbout06 15 2026 - Public Comment - Isabel Munoz1
Stefan Mercer
From:Isabel Munoz <isabellamunoz.hernandez@gmail.com>
Sent:Monday, June 15, 2026 4:06 PM
To:Public Comments; Mayor Greg Bozzo; Council Member Dion Bracco; Council Member
Tom Cline; Council Member Terence Fugazzi; Council Member Zachary Hilton; Council
Member Carol Marques; Council Member Kelly Ramirez
Cc:Kim Mancera; Matt Morley
Subject:EXTERNAL - Public Comment: Amicus Brief, No Staging Policy, Emergency Plan
Dear Mayor, Mayor Pro Tempore, and City Councilmembers,
My name is Isabel Munoz. First and foremost, I want to express my deepest gratitude to all of you for
unanimously approving the resolution opposing the proposed ICE facility near Gilroy. Seeing local
leaders stand up for the well-being of our communities fills my heart with hope.
I am writing to you today to collaborate as a mother, a neighbor in our region, and a parent organizer in
Hollister. Even though my daily work is with families in Hollister, what happens in Gilroy deeply affects all
of us.
For all of our families in this area, Gilroy is our regional heart. It is our closest and most vital place to go
out, shop, support local businesses, and spend quality time with our children. When we want to take our
families for a walk, enjoy a weekend, or buy what we need, Gilroy is where we go. Our communities are
completely connected; the families I work with and my own neighbors live, travel, and consume across
these city lines every single day. If fear hits Gilroy, it ripples through all of our homes. Because I listen to
parents every day, I know firsthand that we all share the exact same dream: a safe, peaceful environment
where our children can grow without fear, no matter which neighboring town they are in.
To build on the beautiful leadership you have already shown, I respectfully ask you to consider three
concrete actions that will help keep our regional community whole and secure:
1. Join the Amicus Brief this June: Please join the amicus brief being filed by the County of Monterey with
the Public Rights Project. This supports the lawsuit filed by Santa Clara County and the California
Attorney General. Cities like San Jose are already on board, and Gilroy belongs in this strong, supportive
coalition.
2. Agendize a "No-Staging Zone" Policy: Please consider scheduling this for your next Council meeting to
ensure that city properties—like the parks and parking lots where our families gather when we visit—are
strictly used for city and community purposes. We can easily adapt the successful, legally vetted models
already used by San Jose and Santa Clara County.
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3. Establish a Family Emergency Response Plan: Let's ensure Gilroy has a supportive protocol in place to
protect public safety and guide residents in the event of any large-scale enforcement operations,
keeping all of our families informed and safe.
Beyond the immense human cost—which hurts us deeply as neighbors who care for one another—these
steps are also vital for Gilroy's local economy. Your local businesses depend entirely on workers and
customers from the whole area who should never be driven away by fear. Gilroy has always been built on
the strength of our diverse immigrant and farmworker communities.
Thank you again for your incredible leadership, for listening to the hearts of our families, and for
continuing to work hand-in-hand with the community to keep Gilroy a beautiful, welcoming home for
everyone who visits and lives here.
Respectfully,
Isabel Munoz
Mother, Neighbor, and Parent Organizer (Hollister)